


love language (can't you understand?)

by insertcleveracejoke



Series: in every way i am [1]
Category: Moominvalley (Cartoon 2019), Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: AU in which Snufkin was raised by Joxter, M/M, and has a lot more of feline behaviors, basically this entire thing is Snufkin being gay and Moomin being gay and clueless, so he's more open to physical affection, until he isn't clueless
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-03-08 23:35:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18904927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insertcleveracejoke/pseuds/insertcleveracejoke
Summary: "Hello Moomin", Snufkin paused for a moment, a paw on top of the woodie's head as if to make sure they'd stay put. The creature didn't seem to mind. "I'm cleaning this little one, of course. I've told you before.""… you know, Snufkin, I'm sure Moominmamma would let us borrow her bathtub."Snufkin resumed his licking, carefully taking care of any knots forming with his claws. "I'm sure she would."Five times Snufkin's feline behavior confuses Moomin, and one time it doesn't.





	love language (can't you understand?)

1.

Moomin had been staring for fifteen minutes. He knew it was rude, but he couldn't say for the life of him what the hel- heck Snufkin was even doing. That wasn't all that rare. Moomins and mumriks were very different, and Snufkin, who was himself above anything else, was different from anyone Moomin had ever met- including the Joxter.

"I'm grooming them", had been all Snufkin had said when Moomin first had seen it and asked, a few weeks ago.

The woodie on his friend's lap seemed happy enough to be "groomed", whatever that was. And whatever that was seemed to be Snufkin carefully licking dust and leaves off their fur as if he had been born doing it, or as if his tongue were made for serving as a brush and a wet towel at the same time. Moomins don't clean their offspring like that. That is to say, Moomin didn't have the faintest idea of why Snufkin was doing that instead of giving the woodie a good old bath. Surely it would be faster?

"What", he finally said.

"Hello Moomin", Snufkin paused for a moment, a paw on top of the woodie's head as if to make sure they'd stay put. The creature didn't seem to mind. "I'm cleaning this little one, of course. I've told you before."

"… you know, Snufkin, I'm sure Moominmamma would let us borrow her bathtub."

Snufkin resumed his licking, carefully taking care of any knots forming with his claws. "I'm sure she would."

Moomin sighed and gave up, leaning back against the tree. He should have known better than that by now. Still- he didn't mind admitting it- the scene was quite cute, especially when the woodie started to make a sound that couldn't have been described as anything but a purr.

Snufkin purred, sometimes. He did it a lot when he was napping under sunlight, or when Joxter showed up and scratched behind his ears- Moomin hadn't been brave enough to do that, yet. It was one more thing mumriks did that moomins didn't, but he found he liked it.

It was nice, to be able to hear someone's happiness so clearly, listen to it like their joy's heartbeat when you have your ear pressed to their skin.

Snufkin was purring now, too, and Moomin kind of wanted to listen to it more closely. 

He stood up, passed both of them, sat down and then leaned against Snufkin's back, who purred louder with the touch. He closed his eyes and listened. This was- nice. Really nice. Even if he still couldn't figure out whatever was happening, this was still worthwhile.

He would change his mind pretty fast when the rest of the woodies emerged from the trees and launched themselves at Snufkin for their turn.

 

 

2.

One of the many, many things Moomin liked about Snufkin was how easily he fell asleep.

That seemed like a strange thing to like about someone, but, after the third time his friend took a nap either leaning on him or half lying on his lap, Moomin felt like it was a fair enough thing to think. Snufkin didn't fall asleep on just anyone. He could nap on most places- on top of rocks, or up in a tree, to Moomin's eternal worry- but was a light sleeper, and a lot more pickier about which people were allowed to know that. Moomin was pretty sure he had seen Snufkin asleep on Joxter most of all (despite his dad being the person he spends the least time with), with his head pillowed on Moominmamma's side maybe two times, and once napping near Little My after she started taking her older sister duties more seriously- which was very brave of him- but he hadn't even let the rest of their friends know that. Snufkin always woke up pretty quickly when he heard someone's footsteps.

Moomin was really, really happy that Snufkin felt at ease enough to sleep on his lap.

Even if it mean his legs also fell asleep.

Often.

What doesn't one do for love, huh?

Not that one says it, either. Moomin petted Snufkin's hair with a paw and couldn't help smiling when his friend snuggled closer. This was very, very nice. Snufkin's hat had fallen when its owner had rested his head on his lap, and now the sun painted his hair with all sorts of gold, orange and red shades. No matter how long he looked, Moomin thought, he would never find a painting quite as beautiful. Even if he traveled like Snufkin and looked in every corner of the world he would never find hair that shone as prettily as his friend's.

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

Moomin managed not to jostle Snufkin even if Little My's sharp voice had startled him a lot. He glared at her. "He's sleeping!", Moomin whispered. "Don't wake him up."

"That's boring! Come on, I want to do something fun!"

Little My reached for Moomin's arm, but before she could touch it, Snufkin batted her paw out of the way and opened an annoyed eye. "Leave us alone", he said in a strange hissing sound before closing his eye again.

His older sister gaped at him for a few seconds. She then retreated, loudly affirming that she didn't want their company anyway. Moomin didn't believe her for a moment.

He was still glad, though. He knew that he shouldn't be happy that Snufkin had sort of hissed at someone because of him- or, at least, because the mumrik wanted to continue his nap on him- but. A strange warmth still spread inside of his chest like Moominmamma's best cocoa.

Even if he hadn't had idea that mumriks could hiss.

 

3.

Snufkin hadn't willingly started contact often in the beginning. He seemed to like it well enough when Moomin grabbed his paw or leaned on him, and moments in which Snufkin napped on his friend grew in number the more time passed, but that was all. 

That was why Moomin had been surprised when, in the middle of one of their conversations,  
Snufkin simply bumped the crown of his own head on Moomin's shoulder.

His hair wasn't soft, but it smelled like soil after the rain, and Moomin kind of really wanted to bury his snout on it for the rest of the day, tuck the scent into a bottle he could carry forever, but he had learned about bottles by now and knew that some things were best out of them. 

"Uh…", he froze. No one he had ever met had ever made that gesture before. Moomin felt like he had earned the right to be confused. "Is… everything okay, Snufkin?"

The mumrik quickly straightened himself, blushing, which was also a new and confusing thing. Snufkin never blushed. And when he looked away- was that disappointment in his eyes?

"Yes, Moomin. I'm fine."

He debated asking why exactly had Snufkin done that, but his friend was still blushing and looking rather intently at the grass, so Moomin thought he'd let this one pass.

But there was something in the way Snufkin's shoulders sagged when he froze- not resignation, but the start, the seed of it- that made Moomin ache, ache, ache to reach out a paw and gently pull Snufkin closer, give him whatever he had been looking for. Didn't Snufkin know he would have given him anything? Moomin would have pulled the stars from the sky and given them to his friend, if he hadn't known that he loved them better when they were free to shine however they pleased.

He still privately thought that no shining stars, as beautiful as they were, would ever compare to the way Snufkin's eyes got so bright when he was excited about something. Moonlight couldn't match his smile.

Snufkin was the spring's blooms and the summer's joy, the green grass and the deep sea, but most of all he was Snufkin, just Snufkin, and Moomin loved that more than anything.

He loved him more than anything.

 

 

4.

Snufkin just did that, sometimes. He stared at everyone some time or another. Moomin had first figured that was just a Snufkin thing, then a mumrik thing, and he hadn't been wrong in either. It wasn't like he didn't like it. Little My usually teased and taunted Snufkin when she caught him staring at her, and Sniff and Snorkmaiden got a little uncomfortable, but Moomin actually… liked it. He always liked Snufkin's attention on him. It always felt so fleeting. Moomin knew all attention he got from Snufkin was attention stolen from the trees and the river and the sea, but he couldn't quite bring himself to care.

Having those eyes on him, deep brown (they glowed golden in direct sunlight and had little flecks of green when looked close at, because of course no part of Snufkin was truly monochromatic), it was a little thrilling, felt a little forbidden. Tasted like stolen fruit. 

Moomin couldn't stop himself from reaching out and taking a bite.

So that was why he was just a little disappointed when Snufkin started to give him slow, almost lazy blinks whenever they got caught staring at each other, but he tried to be understanding. Maybe Snufkin was just tired. Moomin knew that sometimes he lost his sense of time when he was too busy wandering or in an adventure. It was very possible that he just hadn't gone to sleep at the right time. It had happened a few times before, after all.

"Did you sleep well, Snufkin?", Moomin asked. 

Snufkin's tail lashed out in what could have been frustration or embarrassment. "… No."

"I could run to Moominhouse and get you some coffee, if you'd like." Moomin knew his mamma wouldn't mind any. She liked Snufkin, which made sense, because everyone should like him. "It won't take five minutes."

"No, thank you, my dear Moomin", Snufkin gave him a small, tight smile.

My dear Moomin. He looked away and blushed. It felt nice, all parts of it. My- oh my, he would rather like to be Snufkin's, wouldn't he? There was something so warm in the idea. In the "dear", the way it was honest and meant, because everything that Snufkin said was, and because there was a quiet sort of fondness in the word. And his name, in Snufkin's voice…

Anyway, he figured he knew what Snufkin wanted this time, if not coffee. He hadn't ever said no to nap after all.

"It's alright, my dear friend. Come here. You can sleep on my lap."

His mumrik friend perked up a little, even if his tail was still lashing out like a whip and he couldn't quite look Moomin in the eye. Snufkin quickly scooted over and rested his head on his lap, looking up at his friend. He blinked slowly again. 

"Sleep well, Snufkin", Moomin said, his paw already playing with the hair he loved so very dearly. 

Snufkin sighed, but closed his eyes. 

For some reason, it took him a long time to fall asleep. Moomin knew because the black paw that had been tightly holding his own white tail didn't loosen up for a long while. He didn't mind. Snufkin's touch was never unwelcome. Could never be.

He was starting to suspect that he should try to pick up a book on mumrik behavior, though.

 

 

5.

Moomin knew his friend had been raised by his dad, the Joxter. He knew that the mumrik sometimes came to visit his son, for Snufkin would nearly always bring him to Moominhouse to see Moominpappa- who seemed to be an old friend of his- and they seemed to get along pretty well, if in a kind of weird way. (Everything around Snufkin was a little weird, though. Moomin had learned to appreciate it). But he had only ever saw them after they had already met. Moomin had no idea at all of how they met each other.

He did not, therefore, expect Joxter to just pick up his son by the back of his green coat- Snufkin went limp as a calico cat- and raise him in the air till they met each other's eyes.

"Hello, Snufkin", the Joxter said. "How are you doing?"

Snufkin let out a long-suffering sigh, his face redder than his father's hat.

"Please, dad. Not in front of Moomin."

He seemed resigned enough, in that pacific way of his, until Joxter grinned and Snufkin froze as much as you can when your feet are not touching the ground. "Aw, are you ashamed of your old papa? Have you ever told him about how you used to dive into the river to try to catch fish with your teeth when you were a kid-"

Snufkin batted without much force at his face.

The Joxter blinked, then blinked a little slowed.

Snufkin blinked slowly back. 

Moomin was very, very confused.

The Joxter saw his expression and grinned with sharp, sharp teeth Snufkin either hadn't inherited or had yet to grow. "I see. Hello, Moomin. Well, kitten", he carefully put his son back on the ground again, "could you please take me to Moominhouse again? I have the strangest feeling that there's something I'd like to discuss with Moomin- I mean, Moominpappa."

Snufkin stared at him with narrowed eyes for a second, but shrugged. "I don't see why not. Moomin, could you tell Moominmamma to make more tea?"

"Oh, I'm sure she made enough. Everyone is always visiting after all."

"Yes", Snufkin said, still watching his father, "but I'd like you to check anyway, if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't!" Moomin did, a little bit, but only because he had the feeling that there was something going on here that was going right over his head. Then again, he probably wasn't going to figure it out right now. "Well, see you in a few minutes then! I'll make sure Little My doesn't eat all the good cookies before you get there."

Snufkin smiled at him softly, his beautiful eyes crinkling at the corners, and Moomin thought he might keel over and die right then and there. "Thank you, my dear Moomin."

He just knew his fur couldn't hide all the redness of his face right now. Retreat was the best- the only option. "Y-Yes- bye!"

"My dear Moomin, huh-", he heard Joxter said just as he started to run.

"Dad, if you say anything about-"

But by then Moomin was already too far to hear what Snufkin had to say.

 

 

6.

Well, Moomin knew how Snufkin acted. He knew him- at least him in three of four seasons, which wasn't bad odds- and how he acted almost as closely as he knew his own behavior. Moomin knew most of his favorite places to fish, his favorite places to think, where he went to when he wanted to be found, and where he went to when he didn't, because sometimes something urgent would happen and Snufkin knew that better than anyone. Moomin could list all of the tunes he played best, and more often, and the ones he reserved for special occasions- his definition of that wasn't always the same as of a moomin, but that was okay- and all the ones he had composed over the winter, to greet him with in the spring.

Moomin was familiar with all of Snufkin's smiles, his angry expressions, how he looked like when he wanted company and when he wanted to be left to his own devices. He knew awe in those eyes, and fear, and something he didn't have a name for yet. He knew how Snufkin acted near him, and near their friends, and near strangers, and the differences in that. Moomin just didn't know the why of those differences. He wanted to know.

So when he found the book, Moomin immediately took it to his room and told Sniff and Snorkmaiden that he'd be busy all day. He read the book from cover to cover. The bed creaked when he threw himself on it after he had finished in the morning, and Moomin had then promptly screamed into his pillow for what had felt like forever but had actually been only about five minutes before Little My had told him to shut up.

It had been worth the embarrassment, though. Because, the next time Snufkin blinked slowly at him- the mumrik equivalent of an "I love you", and oh, there had been so much lost time- Moomin blinked slowly back.

Snufkin gaped as if wondering if he had imagined it, or misunderstood- so the moomin did it again, deliberately slowly despite the deep red of his own face making him want to hide under the covers, because Snufkin deserved to know that he was loved by him as well.

Snufkin was so, so loved- by Joxter, by Little My, by the Moominparents, but this was a different kind of love. Moomin knew he could tell the difference. And, finally- he allowed himself to know that Snufkin loved him in the same way and just as much. It felt good. Like a warm bath after being out in the cold for too long, or like the first day of spring, or like knowing the best friend you've loved since you remember knowing what love is feels the same for you and has been trying to tell you the same for a while now.

His mumrik friend blushed deeply and hid half of his face with his hat.

He was smiling, though, the smile just growing wider as Moomin gently grabbed his black paw and kissed the back of it. Snufkin leaned against him as if it was as natural as walking.

"How long have you known?", he muttered.

"Not long. I didn't- didn't know what it meant. I'm sorry, dear."

"It's all right, my dove. It ended up well, didn't it?"

Moomin turned his head and agreed with a moomin kiss. Snufkin seemed to know what those were, because he reciprocated with enthusiasm, his small nose being nonetheless perfect- because it was Snufkin's, and how could it not be?

He had still spent the night reading, though, and a moomin needed his sleep. Soon Moomin had slipped onto Snufkin's lap. He was a big, fluffy ball of warmth. The mumrik found he didn't mind him there.

"After all", Snufkin whispered so as to not wake him up, petting his white fur, "it is just fair that I pay the favor back, and I finally see why you do not mind my naps, my dear Moomin. It is quite nice."

When Little My went out to tease them, hours later, their tails were intertwined and Moomin was still asleep on Snufkin's lap.


End file.
